Officers seize 450 marijuana plants and other news from areas around Chattanooga

Officers seize 450 marijuana plants and other news from areas around Chattanooga

July 13th, 2013by Staff Reports and Associated Press in Local Regional News

Officers seize 450 marijuana plants

DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. - North Alabama law officers and soldiers seized more than 450 marijuana plants and made one arrest this week, DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris said in a news release.

Officers from the DeKalb Sheriff's Office and the Alabama Department of Public Safety and members of Alabama's Air National Guard found more than 100 plants west of Fort Payne and arrested Eddie Lamar Mc-Kinney, 53, according to the release. He was released from the DeKalb County Jail on a $10,500 bond on a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana, Harris said.

Officers found more than 350 plants near Mentone on Wednesday and more plants in two other locations, Harris said. He said at least one more arrest is expected and that eradication efforts will continue.

Driver's body pulled from pit

UNION CITY, Tenn. - Divers have recovered the body of a West Tennessee bulldozer operator who was on a machine that fell into a watery pit.

KYTN Radio reported searchers using sonar equipment found the body of 68-year-old Joe D. Trevathan on Thursday in about 25 feet of murky water.

The pit where Trevathan was operating the machine Wednesday is used by Ford Construction Co. as a source for fill material. Officials said the bulldozer toppled backward into the pit.

Man, girlfriend arrested

JASPER, Ala. - Authorities have arrested a man in Chattanooga who is suspected of making a bomb threat at an Alabama hospital and robbing a bank.

Police in Jasper say 32-year-old Brandon Peake is in custody after his arrest Thursday. He is charged with robbery and making terroristic threats.

A woman identified as his girlfriend, 31-year-old Tamra Starr Files, also was arrested.

Police say Peake was behind a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of Walker Baptist Medical Center last Friday. Someone robbed the Traders & Farmers Bank in Curry later the same day.

A woman gave birth in the hospital parking lot during the evacuation, but both mother and child are fine. Hospital officials say the threat cost about $75,000.

Tennessee airports to get grants

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Department of Transportation says state aeronautics grants totaling more than $175,000 have been approved for six Tennessee airports.

Airports getting the grants announced this week include the McMinn County Airport, Collegedale Municipal Airport, Fayetteville Municipal Airport, Lebanon Municipal Airport, Moore-Murrell Field in Morristown and the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport.

The grants, made through the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division, will be used for infrastructure and other improvements.